


Connection

by Kat_Rowe



Series: Simple Gifts [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Kissing, RAINSTORMS, Slow Burn, Walks In The Woods
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23251435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Rowe/pseuds/Kat_Rowe
Summary: With word of their midnight outing spreading through Arkadia, Marcus invites Abby for another walk in the woods. (Marcus/Abby, minor Eric Jackson presence.)
Relationships: Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane
Series: Simple Gifts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1671709
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37





	Connection

**Author's Note:**

> The world needs more sweet and happy fic right now and I will be working all-out to contribute as much as I can. 
> 
> Thanks to Kabby_Kru for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.

The day passed uneventfully enough, except for the sideways looks and knowing smirks Abby kept getting. No one said a word, but she could tell that they all knew about her late-night outing with Marcus. She’d known people would talk, of course, but it was still surprising how fast the news was spreading. When Eric Jackson had heard the rumors despite how much he kept to himself and focused on work, you _knew_ everyone was talking about something.  
  
Not that the young doctor had said a word, at least not to her, but it was hard to miss his pained expression and constant worried glances.   
  
“Would you stop that?” she finally sighed, setting down her pen and staring at him.  
  
He recoiled a little at that, expression contrite. “I’m sorry. I just… I mean, I’m sure it’s not true what everyone’s been saying, but… I worry about you, Abby.”  
  
“Jackson.”  
  
“I know it can’t all be true what they’re saying, but it’s _Kane_ , Abby.”   
  
“I know. And I know we’ve had our differences in the past, but--”  
  
“Differences?” he interrupted, making a disgusted noise. “You’re going to have scars for the rest of your life over those ‘differences!’”  
  
“I committed a crime, I was punished for it. And that is in the past now,” she told him firmly.  
  
“The past? It’s been a couple months!” he scoffed, shaking his head and giving her a look of disgusted pity. “People like him don’t change, Abby. He’s just going to hurt you. Again.”   
  
She sighed, crossing the room and resting her hands on his shoulders. “He’s not going to hurt me, Jackson. I won’t let him, I promise.”  
  
“Good. Because, if he does hurt you, he’ll have to deal with me,” he answered, nodding firmly and giving her a look that was probably meant to be intimidating. She couldn’t think of one other person that Jackson actively disliked. Every negative thought and emotion in him was focused squarely on Marcus Kane. And, until a few months ago, she would have considered his anger and hatred well-placed. Now, though...  
  
“I promise, I’ll be fine,” she told him, shaking her head and returning to her work-station.   
  
He grumbled quietly in answer, then buried himself in his work again. He didn’t say or do anything else to broach the topic, but she was still glad when he finished cleaning up his station and left for the afternoon.   
  
At least until Marcus entered, so soon after Jackson’s departure that they must have met in the corridor outside. Judging from the look on his face, Jackson hadn’t bothered to be polite, either.  
  
“I don’t think your apprentice likes me very much,” he observed. “Should I be worried?”   
  
“Not as long as you keep your door locked at night, and don’t have any medical emergencies when I’m not around,” she told him, smirking.  
  
“I’ll remember that,” he chuckled, grinning down at her.  
  
Her heart fluttered, a reaction totally inappropriate for a woman her age to be having to a friendly smile. But she couldn’t help it, not when she remembered last night. His jacket around her shoulders, his body close to hers, and that same tender smile on his face as he showed her the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.  
  
They were silent for a few moments, then he cleared his throat and said, “I missed you at breakfast.”  
  
“Sorry, I had a suspected case of appendicitis first thing.”  
  
“Oh. Patient all right?”   
  
“Much better now. Just ate something that didn’t agree with him.”  
  
“Good. So… you’re not busy now?” he asked, fidgeting a little.  
  
There was something endearing in his obvious nervousness. Once, not too long ago, she would have teased him for it. Not now, though. Not after he’d showed her a whole other side of himself last night: a kind and gentle man, a man who loved beautiful things and the company of people he cared about.  
  
“I’m not busy, no. It’s actually been a pretty slow day.”  
  
He smiled in response, a hopeful wide-eyed smile that she wouldn’t have been able to imagine on him even a few weeks ago.  
  
“I could be wrong,” she told him, grinning, “but I think I owe you a walk in the woods.”   
  
His cheeks actually colored at her words, and his smile was endearingly shy. God, he looked like a little boy inviting a girl to a school dance. Part of her wanted to tease, but there was something so genuine and honest in his uncertainty that she just couldn’t.   
  
“It’s a beautiful day,” Marcus noted, biting his lip. “Much warmer than it was last night.”   
  
“Okay. Let’s go.”  
  
He looked startled for just a moment, then he smiled widely and nodded in agreement. He looked happy as they walked down the corridors together, which probably explained not only the looks they were getting, but also why rumors about last night had spread so fast. Probably unconsciously Marcus Kane was walking around looking and acting like a man who had gotten lucky. And, since she’d been the one to sneak off into the woods with him in the dead of night…  
  
Not too long ago, she would have done everything in her power to quell that kind of rumor. Today, she found that the sideways looks and whispered comments didn’t bother her at all. Poor Marcus, on the other hand, looked torn between enjoying her company and cringing every time someone whispered behind their hand as they passed.  
  
“I am so sorry,” he whispered to her as they stepped through the gates and headed towards the forest. “I had no idea word would spread this fast.”  
  
“Marcus, rumors on the Ark _always_ spread like wildfire,” she laughed, patting his arm. “Did you honestly expect the ground to be different?”  
  
For just a moment, he looked like he didn’t quite know how to respond to that. Then he shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile, admitting, “So much has changed that I sometimes forget that there are still some things that haven’t.”   
  
“You’re right. A lot has changed,” she agreed, sliding her hand into his.  
  
He stared down at their hands for a moment, then smiled up at her. “My men are never going to let me live this down.”  
  
“Good,” she answered, beaming up at him and ignoring the faint laughter coming from the guardpost they had just passed.  
  
Squeezing her hand, he headed into the woods, drawing her with him. They walked in comfortable silence for several minutes, fingers tangled together, and Abby wasn’t sure she’d ever enjoyed taking a walk quite so much. Walks on the Ark had never been like this: the solitude, the sunlight filtering down through the leaves, the constantly-changing landscape, the small animals darting out into the path ahead of them, the birds singing overhead.  
  
“Wonderful, isn’t it?” he asked.  
  
“Amazing. It’s beautiful out here, Marcus.”  
  
He nodded in agreement, tugging her close and smiling down at her with half-closed eyes. “Abby…”  
  
Something in that throaty whisper shot straight through her, and she pressed close, resisting the urge to bury her face in his chest and drink in his scent and warmth. She wasn’t going to do anything that might discourage him from kissing her. Pressing firmly against his chest, she tilted her head towards him and parted her lips invitingly.   
  
His response was gratifying. She heard his breath catch, saw his Adam’s Apple bob as he swallowed hard, felt his skin warm against hers and his hands tighten against her back.The poor man was actually _trembling_ a little, because of her, and she absolutely loved it.  
  
“I kept waiting for you to kiss me last night,” she whispered, slowly wetting her lips.  
  
“I wanted to,” he admitted, sounding breathless. “I just wasn’t sure…”  
  
He seemed so out of his element compared to his normal confident and decisive self. Never in their long relationship had it occurred to her that this might be how he reacted to a woman he wanted. It certainly hadn’t been his approach to the women he’d taken to bed in the past. She’d seen enough of that, and heard so much from Callie. So what was different? Was he actually still worried that she might reject him? After last night?  
  
“Are you sure _now_?” she challenged, pouting a little.   
  
She would have fluttered her eyelashes at him, too, but Jake had always laughed when she did that, claiming she looked like she’d gotten something in her eye. And, as much as she liked the idea of Marcus laughing and joking easily with her, that could wait. He smiled a little, and made a nervous sound, then wet his lips and slid his hands up her back.   
  
She’d imagined being kissed by Marcus, many times, but never once had she imagined being kissed like _this_ by him. Callie had always spoken of him as an energetic, forceful lover. And, while she’d never suggested that he was habitually rough, she’d certainly never hinted at how gentle he could be.   
  
And, good God, he was being so gentle right now, so achingly tender as he untied her ponytail and slowly buried his hands in her hair, fingers teasing her scalp. She angled her head back into his caresses, sighing with pleasure, and he made a happy noise of his own as his mouth finally found Abby’s.  
  
Her breath caught at the first touch of his lips, feather-light and then increasingly firm as they slowly urged hers apart. She closed her eyes, melting against him and gently clinging to him. His tongue teased, again and again until she thought she might scream, then he drew back, resting his forehead against hers and panting softly.  
  
“Marcus,” she protested, burying her face in his chest and stifling a whimper. Why had he stopped?  
  
“You’re wet,” he whispered into her hair, chuckling.  
  
She choked at his words, jerking back and staring up at him with wide eyes.  
  
Any shock, or anything else she might have felt at his words vanished as she saw the beads of water dripping down his face and pooling in his beard, and his damp hair clinging to his head. It took her another moment to realize that her face was soaked as well, along with the rest of her. She’d been so wrapped up in the kiss, that she hadn’t even noticed the frigid rain drizzling down on them.  
  
“How long…”  
  
“Just a few minutes,” he chuckled, taking a step back and eyeing her up and down. His gaze was blatantly appreciative for a moment, then he shook himself, shrugging off his jacket and offering it to her. “Here. You must be cold.”  
  
“You’re always offering me your coat, Marcus,” she noted, biting her lip as she became aware that her damp shirt was clinging to her chest. Yes, she was wearing a bra, but it was too cold for a damp bra under a tight shirt to leave much to the imagination.  
  
“I don’t need it, not right now,” he told her, proffering the coat again. “Take it?”  
  
His own shirt was as damp as hers, and clung appealingly to his muscular chest and arms as he urged the jacket onto her. Smiling shyly, she nodded and let him wrap it around her shoulders, pressing close again as he did.  
  
“Thank you, Marcus,” she whispered, beaming up at him and, when he smiled shyly in answer, leaning up to kiss the corner of his mouth.  
  
He smiled at that, turning slightly into her kiss and whispering against her lips, “We should get back. There’s a storm-front coming in. I didn’t expect it to get here so soon or I would have postponed our walk.”  
  
She made a frustrated noise, hugging him close and shaking her head. “Do we have to go back?”  
  
“It’s going to get very windy, Abby, and very muddy.”  
  
“Come on, Marcus. You’re a big fan of grounder traditions. Something tells me you don’t mind a little bit of mud,” she teased, grinning up at him.  
  
“I don’t, but you are one half of Arkadia’s medical team and, if anything happens to you, the other half may decide I need some unscheduled surgery…”  
  
She choked at that, staring up at him with wide eyes. “Want me to make him promise not to perform any amptuations without my express authorization?” she teased.  
  
“If you could, I’d appreciate it,” he answered, grinning down at her for a moment before cupping her face in one large, warm hand.  
  
Goosebumps rising on her wet skin, she closed her eyes, leaning into his touch with a sigh. “Marcus...”  
  
He leaned close, so close she could feel his hot breath against her mouth, and smell the chicory root he must have had with his lunch. Parting her lips, she tilted her head back, trembling a little at the ticklish scratching of his beard against her cheek. The teasing bastard kept nuzzling her face and drawing back every time she turned her mouth towards his.  
  
She found herself shaking, not from cold or arousal, but from the sheer _effort_ of remaining still and not opening her eyes. She would make him pay later but, for now, forcing herself to let him set the pace was like stretching a long-disused muscle. It felt amazing. Especially when her patience was finally rewarded with a hungry kiss and a tight arm around her waist.  
  
This was what she’d been expecting from their first kiss, being held firmly and having her mouth simultaneously explored and laid claim to. She’d seen him effortlessly dominate council meetings, trade delegations, diplomatic summits, and even class tours of the council chamber, all with an open smile and warm expression that made people completely miss the fact that he was in control of every aspect of the situation. This wasn’t like that. She knew she was being controlled and guided down along to a reaction of his choosing. He wasn’t making any effort to hide it which, somehow, made it much easier for her to accept.  
  
When he drew back, far too soon, she found herself feeling light-headed despite the lack of anything more than a kiss. But that one kiss had promised so damned much…  
  
“Marcus,” she whispered, staring up at him with wide eyes and not caring if her raw, physical need had crept into her tone.  
  
“Let’s go home before we both catch pneumonia,” he suggested, smiling breathlessly down at her. “It’s freezing out here.”  
  
“That’s not how pneumonia works, Marcus.”  
  
“I don’t care,” he told her, shrugging. “I’m taking you home. We’re going to get you dry and warm, and then we’re going to finish what we started,” he informed her, tone uncompromising but eyes sparkling.  
  
“Are we?” she challenged, grinning. “Do I get any say in this?”  
  
“We can… discuss terms when we get back.”  
  
“Oh, I see. Thank you for the concession, Ambassador Kane,” she laughed.  
  
“My pleasure, Chancellor Griffin,” he answered, smiling until the corners of his eyes wrinkled.  
  
It was the same smile he’d worn the first time they walked the streets of Polis: excited, eager, so honest and full of wonder. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him like this before that day, but she hoped that she would see it from him much more in the future. _After_ they got each other nice and warm again. Grinning, she wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning against his warm body as they started walking home.  
  
**End**

**Author's Note:**

> More soon, I promise. At this point, I don't think Abby would let me get away with NOT posting the next part ASAP. I've seen what that woman can do with a syringe, and no thanks.


End file.
